Respiratory Therapy

Description of the Profession

Respiratory therapists evaluate and treat patients with cardiopulmonary disorders, and participate in health promotion / disease prevention. They care for all types of patients, from premature infants to the very old; practice in many settings, ranging from patients' homes to critical care units; and utilize a range of diagnostic procedures, from the physical exam to use of sophisticated equipment. Learned skills include administration of inhaled medications to maintaining critically ill patients on ventilators.

Skills and Characteristics Important to this Profession

Technology skills, critical thinking / problem-solving, patience, empathy, and the ability to work with a team of care givers.

Description of the Indiana University Respiratory Therapy Programs

IU Bloomington does not offer a respiratory therapy (RT) program, but pre-RT students may complete the prerequisites at IUB and then transfer to IUPUI. The IU School of Medicine Health Professions Program at IUPUI offers a BS in Respiratory Therapy, and is part of a hospital and university-based consortium. The course of study requires the completion of 2 years (55 credit hours) of prerequisite work at IUB or another campus / college. Once admitted, students complete 2 years of professional training in Indianapolis. Prior to being admitted to the professional program, students must fulfill all preprofessional requirements.

Other Accredited Programs

For a listing of accredited RT programs, the American Association for Respiratory Care.

Additional Notes and Recommendations

Job Shadowing / Observation

Job shadowing / observation is the best way for you to get a first hand look at a given profession and determine whether or not it is one you wish to look into further. HPPLC advisors strongly encourage you to take advantage of any such opportunities that arise during high school; or, if you are already in college, to arrange shadowing / observation as soon as possible. Refer to the PDF document below for further shadowing / observation information.

Further Information

Refer to the HPPLC Respiratory Therapy handout for more detailed information about prerequisite courses, application and admission information, and for additional resources.

If you are interested in other health professions that are advised through HPPLC, we encourage you to sign up for the HPPLC email list associated with your program(s) of interest. Feel free to sign up for more than one list. Also refer to the HPPLC handout, Health Professions Descriptions.